ARCHIVE News

India: Lessons in Emergency Care for MBBS Students

The Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS), Bangalore, introduced a subject on Comprehensive Emergency Care and Life Support in the UG medicine curriculum from the current academic year. Students underwent training in this during their internship. To teach them, RGUHS organised a training programme for selected faculties of medical colleges across the State in association with the University of Utah, US. The training was held from June 23 to 27.

India: Hill Ambulance to Give Leg-up to Healthcare

Chennai: After two years of R&D work, the first set of all-terrain ambulances were inducted into the 108 fleet on June 25. Instead of the standard Tempo Travellers used as 108 ambulances, these hill-runners are TRAX Cruisers, with a larger wheel base and better off-road capability.
“It has taken a while after we conceptualised it and made the prototype.
Inaugurated by Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa through video-conferencing, these 30 vehicles (procured at a cost of `3.11 crore) will be sent to their bases near hills, swamps and “inaccessible areas” across seven districts in the state, approximately within the week.

Imphal: On a very optimistic note, the director of the State Health Mission, under the National Rural Health Mission recently declared that all the Primary Health Centers in the state will be made functional 24 x 7 with delivery services before Christmas.
According to the guidelines given by IPH Standards, without delving too deep into the specifics, the PHCs should provide 24 hours emergency service and 6 hours of OPD. The PHCs should give care on maternal and child health care along with family planning on a priority basis.

India: Northeast to Have Air Ambulances Soon

Guwahati: Patients from difficult-to-access locations in the landlocked north-eastern states can heave a sigh of relief, as a Guwahati-based hospital is planning to launch air ambulance services to ferry patients from across the region.\r\nThe Guwahati Neurological Research Centre (GNRC) on July 01 unveiled a plan to launch air ambulance and medical outreach programme using helicopters to remote areas of all the eight north-eastern state: Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura and Sikkim.

India: Motorbike Ambulance Services on Pilot Basis in Karnataka

The Health Department in Karnataka has completed a survey in 20 high-traffic density wards of Bangalore to start motorbike ambulance service on a pilot basis. This will be extended to other urban areas later under the National Urban Health Mission.\r\nResponding to a question by BJP member Siddaraju, Mr Khader said this was proposed because reaching patients during the ‘golden hour’ in dense traffic was difficult. However, he did not say how many motorbikes would be pressed into service when it is introduced.The ambulance, with a paramedic, will have oxygen and first-aid kit for administering care to the patient before shifting hi